Ski pole

ABSTRACT

A ski pole comprises a nail-shaped spike movably mounted relative to a profiled end member and adapted to be moved, when a load is exerted onto the ski pole, into a position protruding from said end member, whereby said spike, with the ski pole unloaded, is retained by means of a spring in its position concealed by the end member, and comprising a sleeve member being longitudinally movably connected with the lower end of the ski pole shaft by positive engagement.

United States Patent [191 Klemm SK] POLE [76] Inventor: Ernst Klemm, Lautenbacher Strasse 16-18, Gernsbach, Germany [22] Filed: Oct. 2, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 293,837

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 3, 1971 Germany 2154628 [52] US. Cl. 280/1137 N, 135/59 [51] Int. Cl A63c 11/22 [58] Field of Search 280/1137 P, 11.37 Z, 1137 B, 280/1 1.37 N; 135/59, 58, 57, 56, 55, 62

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,449,509 9/1948 Richards 135/58 2,741,485 4/1956 Storm et al 280/1137 B 3,637,229 1/1972 Klemm 280/1137 P FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 169,584 11/1951 Austria 135/59 [4 1 July 23,1974

ll/l968 ll/l95l Austria 280/1137 Z France 280/1137 Z Primary Examiner-David Schonberg Assistant Examiner-Milton L. Smith Attorney, Agent, or FirmLeBlanc & Shur ABSTRACT A ski pole comprises a nail-shaped spike movably mounted relative to a profiled end member and adapted to be moved, when a load is exerted onto the ski pole, into a position protruding from said end member, whereby said spike, with the ski pole unloaded, is retained by means of a spring in its position concealed by the end member, and comprising a sleeve member being longitudinally movably connected with the lower end of the ski pole shaft by positive engagement.

19 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PAIENTED I974 SHEET 1 OF 6 3. 825.275

PRIOR ART Fig.2

PRIOR ART Fig.3

PRIOR ART SKI POLE In prior ski poles, the nail-shaped spike frequently formed the cause of, in part serious, injuries in skiing accidents, and even during handling, such as when the ski poles are shipped or stacked, the uncovered spikes frequently cause stab wounds or lacerations.

A simple attempt to avoid inuries of the abovementioned type consists in that the spikes of the ski poles are no longer formed with sharp points and exactly cone-shaped configuration, but rather they are provided with a spherical end member. However, with ski poles of this type the user is unable to obtain sufficient support particularly on hard surface skiing tracks, icy track portions and crusted snow, even if the ski pole spike is pushed against the ground in an unnormally forceful manner. Y

An improvement in these regards is provided by a ski pole having a spike which is movable relative to a spherical end member which spike is held by 'a spring in its position concealed by the end member when the ski pole is not loaded, and which, when the ski pole is loaded, is adapted to be moved from a position wherein it is fully concealed by the end member, into a position wherein it protrudes over the end member. This con struction not only avoids injuries, but also provides some type of launching effect or cushioning by cooperation between the ski pole disk attached to the outer periphery of the profiled sleeve and the spring retaining the nail-shaped spike. However, it is disadvantageous in this construction that such launching effect as well as over said ski pole shaft and carrying a disk, in order to vary the bias of said spring mounted within said end member.

Because of the possible adjustment of the spike position within the end member, in the unloaded condition of the ski pole, the delay in the response of the spike I is reduced since the spike may be adjusted such that it justed.

the position of the spike within the end member in the unloaded condition of the ski pole cannot be adapted to specific conditions, such as to use on icy ground surfaces which, in contrast with snow of softer consistency, make it desirable that the spike be extended more rapidly from the sleeve; or to the respective weight of the skier.

Due to the fact that the disk forms the abutment for the cushioning effect, in ski poles of this type it has been found that the known clamping or threaded connections between the ski pole shaft and the hub portion of the disk require to be improved because these connections are rigid and, further, are formed by relatively small connecting surfaces in consideration of the weightof the connection. Particularly because of the non-resilience of the disk, this may result in loosening or even failure of the connection in the hub portion of the disk.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a ski pole which avoids the disadvantages of the prior construction, i.e. which minimizes especially the danger of injury, and which, at the same time, provides secure support of the ski pole on any kind of ground surface, which has minimum dead weight and which provides for a functionally safe connectability between the ski pole and the disk, whereby, in addition, this connection should be of simple construction and the ski pole should lend itself to economical manufacture. It is an additional object of the invention to provide a ski pole wherein the launching effect or cushioning effect of the resiliently mounted spike as well as the position of the spike in unloaded condition can be adjusted.

According to the invention, in a ski pole of the type mentioned at the beginning the above outlined object is solved in that said sleeve member is adapted to be adjusted relative to a connecting member loosely slipped Due to the fact that the disk is attached to the end sleeve, the connecting surface is increased, whereby the total load causing maximum bending stresses at the hub portion of the disk is more uniformly distributed over the disk. On the other hand, a resilient connection between the ski pole shaft and the disk is provided by the feature that the disk in combination with the complete end member is slidably movable relative to the ski pole shaft. Furthermore, the connecting member, from a manufacturing point of view, may be connected with the disk in an extremely simple manner.

Inthe following, some exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail by referring to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lower portion of a prior ski pole comprising a concealed nailshaped spike;

, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIG. 1, wherein the nail-shaped spike extends beyond the lower end portion of the ski pole;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIG. 1, of an embodiment wherein the sleeve is formed integrally with the profiled end portion;

FIG. 4 isa longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the lower part of a ski pole embodying the features of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIG. 4, of a modified embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a part view of FIG. 5, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the disk, the connecting member and the sleeve illustrating a modified expediency of attaching the disk on the connecting member prior to final assembly of the overall ski pole structure;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIG. 7, showing the installed ski pole shaft after final assembly of the overall structure;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal part sectional view of the disk and of the connecting member for illustrating another means of attaching the disk on the ski pole;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the hub section of the disk according to FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of the disk and the connecting portion, illustrating another modifiedembodiment of the attachment of the disk on the connecting member prior to the final assembly of the overall ski pole structure.

The prior ski poles shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 comprise a nail-shaped spike 1 being pointed at its lower end 2 and having a head 3 at its opposite end. The head 3 serves as an abutment for a spring 4 which rests on a profiled'end member 5 which latter either is inserted into a sleeve member 6 and thereafter connected thereto, as shown in FIG. 1, or is integrally formed with said sleeve member 6 from the outset, as shown in FIG. 3. Normally, the ski poles disk is fixed on or clamped to the sleeve member of such ski poles by a retaining ring 27.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, one or more guide rings 9 adapted to surround the shaft 8 of the ski pole areprovided within the sleeve member 6, and the upper surface 7 of the head 3 of spike 1 is rigidly attached to the ski pole shaft 8 so that, during the common longitudinal movement of the ski pole shaft 8 and of the nail-shaped spike l, the upper surface 7 at the same time forms a stop for limiting the movement at the lowermost guide ring 9, whereas in the embodiment according to FIG. 3 the sleeve member 6 is open at its upper end and is adapted to be closed by an annular cover member I 1 only after the assembling of the parts. This embodiment is preferred if the ski. pole spike assembly isto be mounted on an existing ski pole shaft 8. Hereby, the end of the ski pole shaft 8 loosely engages the upper surface 7 of the nail-shaped spike 1, and limitation of the longitudinal movement is effected by means of the guide ring 9 which, in this embodiment,

is securely. connected to the ski pole shaft 8, in combination with the annular cover member 11.

In the embodiments of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6, the sleeve member 6 may either form a separate component of the profiled end member 5 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or may be formed integrally with said endmember as shown in FIG. 3. In either case, the'particular feature of the invention consists in that a connecting member 30 having a central bore 37 is associated with said sleeve member 6. In a first region 370 the diameter of this bore 37 corresponds substantially tothe diameter of the ski pole shaft 8 and in a second region 37b near the bores end directed towards the sleeve 6 the diameter of bore 37 is enlarged to the outer diameter of the sleeve and is provided with internal threads 39 by means of which the connecting member is adapted to be threaded to greater or lesser extent onto complementary external threads 44 being provided at' the end of sleeve member 6 which is averted from end member 5. The connecting member 30 has an annular groove 38 in theouter periphery thereof, into necting member 30.In the embodiment according to FIG. 4, the stop 48 is inserted into the ski pole shaft 8 and retained therein by means of a pin 48a. The stop 48 can be extended by means of one or more guide rings 45 slipped over the shaft 8, which rings similarly as the rings 9 according to FIG. 1 guide the shaft 8 within the sleeve member 6, thereby providing additional possibilities of adjustment for the extension of the spike 1 from the connecting member 5.

In order to ensure proper gripping capacity, preferably the sleeve member 6 is provided with exterior knurling over an area 43 of the profiled end member 5.

The threaded connection formed by the external threads 44 of the sleeve member 6 and by the internal I sleeve member 6 is threaded to greater extent into the which groove the disk 26 is adapted to be fitted or received. 'In'the assembled condition of the structure, the ski pole shaft 8 passes through the connecting member 30, whereby the bore 37 in its region 37a forms a sleeve bearing for the ski pole shaft.

The pointed end 2 of the spike 1 passes through a central bore 5b formed in the profited end member 5 of the sleeve member 6, and is urged against the end face of the ski pole shaft 8 by means of the spring 4 which engages with the head 3 of the spike and which rests on the end member 5. Consequently, when the ski pole shaft 8 is loaded, the spike 1 is projected from the end member 5 against the force exerted by the spring 4. The end of the shaft 8 adjacent the spike includes a bead or an end portion adapted to be subsequently attached to or slipped over the end of the shaft, which end portion is of slightly greater diameter than the ski pole shaft and, upon passing the shaft through the region 37a of the bore 37, forms a stop 48 engaging a shoulder 37c located intermediate the regions 37a and 37b so as to preventegress of the shaft from the conconnecting member 30, this results in a shortening of the stroke available to the spring 4, i.e. in an increase. of the force of the spring and of the resulting launching effect or cushioning effect.

By correspondingly lengthening the portion 37b of the-bore 37 of the connecting member 30 which portion carries the internal threads 39, it is even possible to thread the sleeve member to such an extent that the spike 1, in the unloaded condition of the ski pole, is flush with the end 5a of the end member 5 or already extends some few millimeters beyond the end member. This adjustment maybe advantageous especially in icy terrain because the spike 1 protruding from the end member 5 prevents sliding off from the ground already when the ski pole is placed on the ground with no load exerted thereto. Then, when the load is applied onto the ski pole, the spike 1 may penetrate still further into the icy surface. 7

In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, adjacent its end averted from the end member 5, the sleeve member 6 has a groove 46 for receiving a retaining or spring ring 47 which is inserted into the annular groove 38 formed in the connecting member 30 and adapted to receive the disk 26. Ring 47 passes through one or more perforations 36 provided in theconnecting member 30, so that it is adapted to engage into groove 46. In this embodiment, the spring ring 47 limits the movement of the sleeve member 6 relative to the connecting member 30 and thereby defines the range within which the force of the spring 4 can be adjusted. At the same time, this prevents the sleeve member 6 from being unthreaded from the connecting member 30 over too great a distance.

According to FIG. 6, the groove 46 is preferably knurled so that a lug or nose formed on the spring ring 47 is adapted to engage into this groove.

FIGS. 7 to 11 illustrate various possibilities of attaching the disk to the ski pole.

According to FIG. 7, the connecting member 30 is provided with a marginal bead 50 of a preferably annular cross section, which bead is adapted to engage into a groove 51 of corresponding cross-sectional profile formed in the hub portion 52 of the disk 26, thereby seagainst intrusion of snow and contaminants into the connecting member 30 and the sleeve member 6. Additionally, the wall of the through opening 54 in the ski pole shaft 8 formed in the hub portion 52 may be provided to this end with a radial groove 55 for receiving a seal assembly 56.

When the hub portion 52 of the disk 26 is provided coaxially to the through opening 54 in the ski pole shaft 8 with a recess 53, the inner diameter of which is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the connecting member 30, there may be obtained a still better attachment of the disk 26 on the ski pole because of an additional clamping or retaining action.

In order that no enlargement or widening of the hub portion 52 can occur even when subject to great loads, the hub portion may be surrounded by a clamping or retaining ring 57 in the region of its recess 53 adapted to receive the sleeve member 6, which ring, in turn, is secured against unintentional slip off by a bead 62.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 8, the bead 50 is formed such as to extend in a radial direction under right angles from the sleeve member 6. A guide ring 45 placed onto the ski pole shaft 8 slides along the inner wall of the sleeve member 6 and thereby centers the ski pole shaft 8 during the axial movement thereof. In order to obtain an optimum of easy motion during assembling of the hub portion 52 with the connecting member 30, according to FIG. 10 the wall of the hub portion may be provided with a longitudinal slot 67 on one side thereof. In the embodiment according to FIG. 9, the hub portion 52 is formed as a component separate from the disk 26, and includes a cylindrical protrusion 63 over which the disk may be slipped in the assembling operation. A set ring 64 adapted to be clamped on the protrusion 63 by means of a set screw 65 secures the installed disk 26 against slipping off from such protrusion. This construction also allows ready reassembling of ski poles with rigidly mounted disks, without the need of purchasing special disks.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 1 1 the hub portion 52 is provided with a plurality of saw tooth-shaped grooves 58 which are positioned coaxially to the recess 53 and which serve to receive and clamp wedge. rings 59 provided on the connecting member 30 when the disk 26 is slipped over the connecting member. Of course, the grooves 58 and wedge rings 59 need not be formed exactly with the configuration shown; rather, they may have, for example, different pitches and different diameters. Optionally, the major diameters of the saw tooth-shaped grooves and of the wedge ring or wedge rings, respectively, may each be of the same size, or may increase towards the spike whereby the latter situation would result in a frusto-conical connection when considering the construction as a whole. Under certain circumstances, a single wedge ring would suffice if the major diameters of the individual grooves 58 each increase in the direction towards the spike 1. This construction allows an easy and simple final assembly of the disk 26 and the connecting member 30.

In ski poles which are subject to lesssevere stress, it is possible to bond the connecting member 30 to the disk 26 or mold it integrally therewith at the time the disk is being formed.

Apparently, numerous further modifications and changes of the illustrated embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A ski pole comprising a profiled end member carried by said pole, a nail-shaped spike carried by said pole and movably mounted relative to said end member, said spike being movable, when a load is exerted onto the ski pole, into a position protruding from said end member, a spring coupled between said spike and said end member and within said end member whereby said spike, with the ski pole unloaded, is retained by said spring in a position concealed by the end member, a sleeve member longitudinally movably connected with the lower end of the ski pole shaft by positive engagement and carrying said profiled end member for movement therewith, a connecting member loosely slipped over said ski pole shaft and carrying a disk, means cooperable between said connecting member and said ski pole for limiting movement of the former relative to the latter in'a direction toward said end member and means for adjustably coupling said sleeve member to'said connecting member in order to vary the bias of said spring mounted within said end memher.

2. The ski pole according to claim 1 wherein said connecting member has an internally threaded central bore for receiving said sleeve member, said sleeve member having part of its periphery provided with threads adapted to be threaded into said bore.

3. The ski pole according to claim 1 including a ski pole shaft, the end of said ski pole shaft adjacent said spike carrying a stop for preventing said connecting member from slipping off said shaft.

4. The ski pole according to claim 3 including one or more guide rings placed onto said ski pole shaft between said connecting member and said stop.

5. The ski pole according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve has a knurled portion on its outer surface.

6. The ski pole according to claim 1 wherein said connecting member comprises a peripheral groove, said disk being receivable in said groove.

7. The ski pole according to claim 1 wherein said disk has a hub portion including a recess for receiving said connecting member and extending coaxially to a through central opening for the ski pole shaft, the inner diameter of said recess being slightly smaller than the outer diameter of said connecting member.

8. The ski pole according to claim 7 wherein said hub portion includes a longitudinal slot extending over the full width of the wall of said hub portion.

9. The ski pole according to claim 7 wherein said connecting member has an external bead and the hub portion of said disk includes a groove profiled complementary to the configuration of said bead.

10. The ski pole according to claim 9 wherein said external bead is of annular cross section.

11. The ski pole according to claim 9 wherein said external bead is formed so as to extend approximately under right angles from said connecting member.

12. The ski pole according to claim 7 wherein said through opening for said ski pole shaft provided within the hub portion of said disk includes a plurality of concentrically superposed saw tooth-shaped grooves, the outer periphery of said connecting member including at least one complementarily profiled wedge ring of saw tooth-shaped configuration.

13. The ski pole according to claim 12 wherein the major diameters of said saw tooth-shaped grooves and of said wedge ring are each of the same dimension.

14. The ski pole according to claim 7 including a retaining ring surrounding said hub portion in order to secure said disk on said connecting member.

15. The ski pole according to claim 7 wherein said disk is adapted to he slipped with its central opening over a protrusion provided on said connecting member, and to be clamped securely to said protrusion by means of a set ring.

16. The ski pole according to claim 7 wherein the wall of the through opening for said ski pole shaft provided in the hub portion of said disk includes a radial groove adapted to receive a sealing ring.

17. The ski pole according to claim 1 wherein said groove in said sleeve is knurled.

5 I UNITED ST.-\JES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION July 23,v 1974 Patent No. 3 ,825 ,275 Dated Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown belc's- In Column 1, line 8, "inuries" should read "injuries".

Signed and sealed this 29th day of October 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON ,JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner; of Patents 

1. A ski pole comprising a profiled end member carried by said pole, a nail-shaped spike carried by said pole and movably mounted relative to said end member, said spike being movable, when a load is exerted onto the ski pole, into a position protruding from said end member, a spring coupled between said spike and said end member and within said end member whereby said spike, with the ski pole unloaded, is retained by said spring in a position concealed by the end member, a sleeve member longitudinally movably connected with the lower end of the ski pole shaft by positive engagement and carrying said profiled end member for movement therewith, a connecting member loosely slipped over said ski pole shaft and carrying a disk, means cooperable between said connecting member and said ski pole for limiting movement of the former relative to the latter in a direction toward said end member and means for adjustably coupling said sleeve member to said connecting member in order to vary the bias of said spring mounted within said end member.
 2. The ski pole according to claim 1 wherein said connecting member has an internally threaded central bore for receiving said sleeve member, said sleeve member having part of its periphery provided with threads adapted to be threaded into said bore.
 3. The ski pole according to claim 1 including a ski pole shaft, the end of said ski pole shaft adjacent said spike carrying a stop for preventing said connecting member from slipping off said shaft.
 4. The ski pole according to claim 3 including one or more guide rings placed onto said ski pole shaft between said connecting member and said stop.
 5. The ski pole according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve has a knurled portion on its outer surface.
 6. The ski pOle according to claim 1 wherein said connecting member comprises a peripheral groove, said disk being receivable in said groove.
 7. The ski pole according to claim 1 wherein said disk has a hub portion including a recess for receiving said connecting member and extending coaxially to a through central opening for the ski pole shaft, the inner diameter of said recess being slightly smaller than the outer diameter of said connecting member.
 8. The ski pole according to claim 7 wherein said hub portion includes a longitudinal slot extending over the full width of the wall of said hub portion.
 9. The ski pole according to claim 7 wherein said connecting member has an external bead and the hub portion of said disk includes a groove profiled complementary to the configuration of said bead.
 10. The ski pole according to claim 9 wherein said external bead is of annular cross section.
 11. The ski pole according to claim 9 wherein said external bead is formed so as to extend approximately under right angles from said connecting member.
 12. The ski pole according to claim 7 wherein said through opening for said ski pole shaft provided within the hub portion of said disk includes a plurality of concentrically superposed saw tooth-shaped grooves, the outer periphery of said connecting member including at least one complementarily profiled wedge ring of saw tooth-shaped configuration.
 13. The ski pole according to claim 12 wherein the major diameters of said saw tooth-shaped grooves and of said wedge ring are each of the same dimension.
 14. The ski pole according to claim 7 including a retaining ring surrounding said hub portion in order to secure said disk on said connecting member.
 15. The ski pole according to claim 7 wherein said disk is adapted to be slipped with its central opening over a protrusion provided on said connecting member, and to be clamped securely to said protrusion by means of a set ring.
 16. The ski pole according to claim 7 wherein the wall of the through opening for said ski pole shaft provided in the hub portion of said disk includes a radial groove adapted to receive a sealing ring.
 17. The ski pole according to claim 1 wherein said disk is bonded to said connecting member.
 18. The ski pole according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve member is provided with a groove, a clamping ring, means carried by said connecting member for retaining said ring against longitudinal movement within a peripheral groove of said connecting member and to engage into the groove of said sleeve to form a stop and preclude movement of said sleeve member relative to said connecting member.
 19. The ski pole according to claim 18 wherein the groove in said sleeve is knurled. 